


Luxuries

by SerotoninShift



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Canon-Typical Prejudice, Established Relationship, M/M, Mention of Childhood Neglect
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:39:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24889261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerotoninShift/pseuds/SerotoninShift
Summary: The more Galo learns about Lio, the more Galo wants to spoil him rotten.
Relationships: Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos
Comments: 7
Kudos: 181





	Luxuries

**Author's Note:**

  * For [moshimochi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/moshimochi/gifts).



“I don’t see the utility of this,” Lio says, poking suspiciously at the rubber duck.

“There  _ is  _ no utility,” Galo says from behind Lio. Lio is between Galo’s legs in the tub. “It’s just funny,” Galo continues.

“Funny,” Lio repeats, sounding slightly disbelieving.

“Yeah, you know.” Galo grabs the duck, dunks it, and lets it pop back to the surface. It bobs in a manner Galo would definitely categorize as comical.

“Hm,” Lio says dubiously, and leans back against Galo’s chest. Galo rests his chin on Lio’s head.

“I guess you didn’t really have rubber ducks growing up,” Galo says. “In the Burnish camp.”

Lio snorts.

“We didn’t even have  _ baths,”  _ he says. “Once a week they’d hose us down, if we were lucky.”

“Geez,” Galo says despondently. Lio swivels his head to look at him.

“Don’t be sad,” he says. “I’m glad I’m getting to experience so many things with you for the first time. The rubber duck is… maybe not my  _ favorite  _ one, but it is somewhat… amusing.” He dunks the duck himself, lets it pop back up.

“I should have gotten candles or something,” Galo says. “Made this really luxurious.”

“This much water is luxurious to me,” Lio says. “Out in the desert we’d heat up water with our fire to cook and clean, but we never had enough to waste on a  _ bath.” _

“You like it, right?” Galo asks, slightly anxious.

Lio pauses thoughtfully.

“I’m not really accustomed to… just sitting around,” he says slowly. “But… with you… I like it.”

Galo blushes a little. He lifts his chin off Lio’s head and reaches up a wet hand, cards it idly through Lio’s fine hair.

“I’m glad,” Galo says. “I wanna spoil you rotten. Give you  _ all  _ the stuff you never had.”

Lio laughs.

“The bath is a good start,” he says.

“Let me wash your hair?” Galo says, watching the pale strands slip through his fingers.

“Oh,” Lio says. “Okay.”

“Cool,” Galo says.

He cups water in his hands and wets Lio’s head thoroughly, then grabs the shampoo bottle, squeezes some out, and massages it into Lio’s scalp. Lio hums appreciatively as Galo works the lather through his hair, careful to keep his bangs out of his eyes. Then Galo cups more water in his hands, rinsing the suds out of Lio’s hair. When he’s done, he kisses the top of Lio’s head. Lio makes a contented little noise.

“You know,” Lio says, “when we first met, I thought you were such a meathead.”

“Hah!” Galo snorts. “I  _ am  _ a meathead.”

“Maybe so,” Lio concedes. “But you’re more than that. You’re thoughtful, and kind, and gentle.”

“Quit it,” Galo says. “You’re gonna make me blush.”

“First impressions can be deceiving, I suppose,” Lio says. “Someone’s true character is only revealed over time. Or in a giant robot.”

“That’s some real philosophy shit, bud,” Galo says, splashing Lio a little.

“I’m wise beyond my years,” Lio says haughtily, and Galo laughs.

“How old  _ are _ you, anyway?” Galo asks, curious.

There’s an oddly long pause.

“I’m in my early twenties,” Lio finally says. Galo furrows his brow.

“Lio, when’s your birthday?” he asks.

There’s another long pause. Then Lio sighs.

“I don’t know,” he says softly.

“Oh,” Galo says, heartbroken.

“I don’t know what happened to my parents. I was raised by the Burnish in camp, until Mad Burnish liberated us. There were a lot of kids like me. I ran around with a gang of them for years.”

“Just… in the desert?”

“We’d go from place to place,” Lio says vaguely.

“Who took care of you?”

Lio laughs.

“We took care of each other,” he says. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but… we held up a lot of gas stations. The older kids would threaten to burn the place down while us younger ones grabbed everything we could. Sometimes we pan-handled, though, if we weren’t too hard-up. I remember one city… Burnish were a little more accepted. We could do tricks with our flames to get spare change. I was always the best at it. Things changed there, though. We got chased out eventually.”

“That sounds… hard,” Galo says.

There’s another silence. Then Lio turns to look at him, a fierce expression on his face.

“Don’t pity me,” he says. “Don’t you dare. I’m a thief and an arson terrorist and an enemy of the state.”

“Not anymore you aren’t,” Galo says indignantly. “And also you were a kid, someone should have been taking care of you guys.”

“Well,” Lio says. “At least now… now I can make sure that doesn’t happen to any other Burnish kids, at least not in Promepolis. They’ll have a home here, in the Burnish district.” 

“Yeah,” Galo says, and winds his arms around Lio, letting his chin rest on the top of Lio’s head again. He stares into the middle distance for a long moment.

“I’m sorry,” he finally says.

“What?” Lio says. “What are  _ you  _ sorry for?”

“I didn’t see it,” Galo says. “I thought people treated the Burnish badly because they were burning stuff down. But it was the other way around, wasn’t it? You were burning stuff down because that was the only way to survive. Because of what we did to you. I didn’t see it. Not until you showed me. I just wanted to say sorry.”

Lio pulls his head out from under Galo’s chin and swivels around to look at him. His wide pink eyes are clear and sharp.

“You don’t have to say sorry,” Lio says. “I don’t need words. I don’t want them. But when it mattered, you listened. You were willing to change your mind. You helped us. You’re still helping us. That’s what’s important.”

“Okay,” Galo says. “Cool. I got your back.”

Lio smiles at him.

“I know you do,” he says.

“Though smoke and flame!” Galo says enthusiastically, puffing out his chest. Lio’s smile widens.

“I know,” he says.

“You can count on Galo Thymos!” Galo pronounces. “World’s number one firefighter! No matter what, I’ll be by your side! Anyone tries to mess with you, I’ll give them what for! I’ll  _ mmmfff!” _

Lio has pressed his mouth against Galo’s. Galo closes his eyes as Lio kisses him hard. When Lio pulls away, Galo is a little short of breath.

“I  _ know,  _ idiot,” Lio says, still smiling. “You don’t have to say it. You show me every day. Now shut up.”

And Lio kisses him again, and neither of them has to say anything for a long while. They spill a lot of water on the floor. The rubber duck ends up in the sink somehow. When Galo finds it later, he puts it back on the edge of the tub with a little smile.

Next time, he’s going to get Lio some bath bombs.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a commission for [moshimochi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/moshimochi/pseuds/moshimochi)! I’m taking commissions on Twitter in exchange for donations supporting your local Black Lives Matter chapter, bail fund, or similar organizations. Check out the post at @SerotoninShift. <3


End file.
